Adjustable desk



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. BRYANT. ADJUSTABLE DESK.

Patented June 6, 1893.

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R; BRYANT.

ADJUSTABLE DESK.

No. 498,842. Patented June 6, 1893.

6 12 i u if j a /Z $00 f w 11 lL @afer; jf/ yaii UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

REUBEN BRYANT, OF ADRIAN, MISSOURI.

ADJUSTABLE DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,842, dated June 6,1893. Application filed December 22, 1892- Serial No. 456,013- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REUBEN BRYANT, of Adrian, Bates county, Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Desks,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in adjustable desks or booksupports for desks, and the object of the invention is to provide avertically adjustable support, which may form a part of a desk asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, or which may be provided withsupporting legs of its own, upon which are designed to be placed, recordor other large books, when an entry or record therein, is necessary tobe made.

A further object of the invention is to provide an independent supportfor each side of the book when opened, so that the uppersurface of theleaves may be at all times flush with, each other and with the hingedarm rest, to provide an even surface upon which to write; andfurthermore, to provide a desk which is of simple and durableconstruction.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar andnovel features of construction and arrangement, as will be hereinafterfully specified and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which--Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a desk, constructed inaccordance with my invcntion. Fig. 2, represents an enlarged verticaltransverse sectional view, taken on the line X-X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3,represents an enlarged inverted plan-view, of the adjustable leafsupporting sections detached from the desk. Fig. 4:, represents anenlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on the line y-y of Fig. 3.Fig. 5, represents an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken on theline zz of Fig. 2. Fig. 6, represents an enlarged vertical sectionalview, taken on the lineww of Fig. 4.

Before entering on a detailed description of this invention I will state(as is Well known) that it is very inconvenient to enter matter in thelarge record books used in banks, and

otherlarge places of business, especially when the book is first openedfor use, when resting upon a desk of the ordinary construction,becausethe thickness of such books requires the elevation of the hand to such adegree, that the arm can not easily rest upon the desk, therefore tiringthe hand and arm to such a degree that the work is affected thereby. Mypresent invention obviates this difficulty, by providing a frame work,of suitable depth, having a hinged arm rest at the upper edge of theframe-work, and. a pair of independent leaf supporting sections, whichare vertically adjustable, and upon which the opened book is adapted torest so as to bring the upper writing surface even with the uppersurface of the arm support, and with the upper surface of the remainingportion of the desk.

In the drawings, 1 designates the body-portion of a desk, having theusual supporting legs 2. The desk is provided with an opening 3,preferably rectangular and which is located preferably about the middleof the bodyportion of the desk. A rectangular framework, constructed ofthe front and rear bars a and 5, and the side bars 6 and 7, is securedpermanently and horizontally a suitable distance below, and in verticalalignment with the opening 3 of the body-portion of the desk. Thisframe-work may be secured to the bodyportion of the desk in any suitablemanner, or an opening may be made in the lower partition or bottom ofthe desk. At any rate there must be a support or frame-work of somekind, horizontally secured a suitable distance below the top-board ofthe desk. A bar 8, is arranged centrally of the side bars 6 and 7, andis secured at its opposite ends to the inner edges of the front and rearbars 5 and 6, or from front to rear of an opening in the'bottom of thedesk, as stated above. The

front bar, of the rectangular frame work, is

secured to the lower .edge of the vertical and longitudinally extendingbar 9 of the desk.

jacent to each other and longitudinally and near the center of the underside of each sup port or leaf 10. The front and rear ends of theserock-shafts, are bent downward and outward at 13-13, and pivotallyengage at 14,

the longitudinally extending and parallel distance apart are therock-shafts 19-20 which have their opposite ends bent respectively,forward and rearward at 21-22, and pivotally engage at 23, thetransversely arranged andparallel rock-shafts 24-24, which have theiropposite ends bent downward and inward at 25, and from the lower ends ofsaid portions 25-25, the ends are again bent horizontally andtransversely outward, and are journaled in the inner edges of the sideand middle bars 6 and 7 and 8 at 26.

The transverse rock-shafts 19 and 20, are

' each provided midway of their length, with recess 34, in the said bar9.

the depending U-bend 27, which bends are connected together by alongitudinally arranged and coiled retracting spring 28, and a metalstrap hook 29. The spring is bent at one end to engage the cross-bar ofthe U -bend of one of the transverse rock-shafts, and has its oppositeend bent vertically at 30 and engaging one or the other of a number ofholes 31 of the strap-hook 29, the said holes being arranged inlongitudinal series as shown, so that the spring 28, may have itstension regulated when necessary, to accommodate books of diflferentweights.

From the construction described, it will be seen that an approximatelysolid support is produced, the depression of the leaves or supports 10,causing the expansion of the tension spring, and therefore the operationof the transverse rock-shafts 2 l-2et, which bear firmly upon thelongitudinal rock-shafts 15- 15, causing said longitudinally extendingrock-shafts to be depressed. To retain the said leaves or supports 10,in any desired position, a locking device is provided, which consists ofa rod 32 adapted to slide longitudinally in a bearing in the front bar 9of the desk, and carries opposite the front end of the leaves orsupports 10, the vertically arranged rack-plates 33, which rest each ina One end of the rod 32 projects beyond the end of the desk, and isprovided thereon with a knob or handle 35. The front edges of the leavesof supports 10, are'provided each with a projecting pin or stud 36,which passing through the'vertical grooves 37, project into the recesses34: of the bar 9, and are adapted to be engaged by the rack plates, asthe rod 32 is pushed former position.

inward; thus holding the leaves or supports firmly in any desiredposition. When the rod 32 is withdrawn, the contraction of the tensionsprings 28, causes the transverse rockshafts 19 and 20 to resume theirnormal position, and the upward movement of the leaves or supportscauses by reason of the pivotal connection of the arms 21-22 thereof,the longitudinal rock-shafts 15-15 to resume their To limit the upwardmovement of the said leaves or supports, a retaining strip or flange 38,is secured upon the upper edge of the front bar 9 of the desk, andprojects inwardly therefrom a suitable distance, and against the underside of which the leaves are designed to stop.

An arm rest 39, is hinged at 40 to the upper edge of the front bar 9 ofthe desk, and a supporting brace 41 is pivoted at its upper and lowerends at 42 and 4:3 to the bar 9, and is adapted to be swung to theposition shown in Fig. 2, to support the arm rest in its horizontalposition. A stud or plate 44, projects a slight distance above the uppersurface of the leaves, a slight distance from the front end thereof, andprevents the adjacent ends of the cover of the book, from coming incontact with and rubbing against the rear side of the bar 9 of the desk.

When the book is placed inposition, upon the adjustable support or desk,the back thereof rests within the space 45, shown clearly in Fig. 1,between the leaves or supports 10, and is thus out of contact with anyportion of the desk, and in this position,the leaves of the book may beturned, or the leaves or supports. 10 of the desk, may be raisedorlowered without affecting the position of the back of the book.

It is to be understood that I do not confine myself tothe constructionin desks. alone of this principle, but that I may apply it with equalfacility and convenience, in, the building of buggy-seats, adjustablefoot rests, and in fact in a variety of other ways.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have produced asimple, comparatively inexpensive, and efficient adjustable desk orbook-support, that will be found of great convenience to allbook-keepers, &c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto'secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, ina desk or book support, of a frame-work, thevertically adjustable leaves, rockshafts journaled transversely of saidleaves, transverse rock-shafts journaled in said frame-work, andarranged parallel to the first mentioned rock-shafts and pivotallyconnected to the rock-shafts carried by the leaves, and a longitudinallyarranged and adjustable tension spring connecting the rock-shaftscarried by the said leaves, substantially as set forth.

2. In an adjustable desk or book support, the combination of astationary frame-work, the vertically adjustable leaves above said frame-work, rock-shafts journaled transversely of the under side of saidleaves, transverse rock-shaft-s j ournaled in the frame-work andarranged parallel to the first mentioned rock-shafts, and pivotallyconnected to the rock-shafts carried by the leaves, and a longitudinallyadjustable tension spring connecting the rock-shafts carried by the saidleaves, with a pair of rock-shafts journaled longitudinally of saidleaves, and a pair of longitudinal rock-shafts journaled in theframework and arranged parallel to the first mentioned longitudinalrock-shafts, and pivotally connected to the longitudinal rock-shaftscarried by the said leaves, substantially as set forth.

3. In an adjustable desk or book support, the combination of a permanentor stationary frame-work, leaves Vertically adjustable above saidframe-work, rock-shafts having crank-arms at each end, journaledtransversely of the said leaves, and having, depending U-bends at theirmiddle, rock-shafts, having crank-arms at each end, journaledtransversely of said leaves in the said frame-work, and pivotallyconnected to the rock-shafts carried by the said leaves, and a tensionspring, connected to the U-bend of one of said shafts, and a strap-hookengaging the opposite U-bend, and connected to the free tend of thetension spring, substantially as set orth.

4. In an adjustable desk or book support, the combination of astationary frame-work, leaves verticallyadjustable above said framework,rock-shafts having crank-arms at each end, journaled transversely ofsaid leaves, and having depending U-bends at their middle, rock-shaftshaving crank-arms at each end, journaled transversely of said leaves inthe frame-work, and pivotally connected to the rock-shafts carried bythe said leaves, and a tension spring connected to one of said U bendsand a strap-hook engaging the opposite U-bend, and connected to the freeend of the tension spring, with a pair of rockshafts j ournaledlongitudinally of said leaves, and having crank-arms at their oppositeends, and a pair of longitudinal rock-shafts arranged parallel with andpivotally connected to the crank-arms of the longitudinal rockshaftscarried by said leaves and having crank-arms at their opposite ends,journaled to the frame-work, substantially as described.

5. In an adjustable desk or book support, the combination with apermanent or stationary frame-work, of leaves or supports verticallyadjustable above said framework, rockshafts having crank-arms at eachend, journaled transversely of said leaves, and having depending U-bendsat their middle, rockshafts having crank-arms at each end, arrangedparallel with the first mentioned rockshafts and journaled in theframe-work, and pivotally connected to the rock-shafts carried by saidleaves, and a tension-spring connected to the U-bend of one of saidrock-shafts and a strap-hook arranged longitudinally of said leaves andconnected to the U-bend of the companion rock-shaft, and provided with alongitudinally arranged series of holes, adapted to be engaged by thefree end of said tension-spring, substantially as and for the purposeset forth. a

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

, REUBEN BRYANT.

\Vitnesses:

J ScUDDER, L. R. ALLEN.

